Axiom Space, KBR Successfully Complete 1st Uncrewed Thermal Vacuum Test of Next-Gen Spacesuit

Axiom Space and KBR successfully completed the first uncrewed thermal vacuum test of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) Pressure Garment to evaluate the spacesuit’s thermal performance and advanced materials in extreme temperatures at the vacuum of space.  

The test was a critical next step in collecting data on how the spacesuit will endure the harsh environment on the lunar south pole during the Artemis III mission.

“This successful test produced data to inform the AxEMU’s performance and readiness for operational use on the lunar surface,” said Russell Ralston, Axiom Space general manager of extravehicular activity. “It was important to evaluate the thermal performance of the new materials we’ve incorporated into the suit design and to see how the suit’s advanced protection will enable astronauts to work at the lunar south pole and in the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions for at least two hours.”

In partnership with KBR, the test was conducted inside the thermal vacuum chamber at KBR’s Aerospace Environment Protection Laboratory (AEPL) in San Antonio, Texas. The Axiom Space EVA and KBR teams worked side by side to enable this integral test from concept to execution in less than one month.

From a historical perspective, it was the first time the AxEMU, designed for the return the Moon, was tested at AEPL – the same facility where Apollo astronauts trained for their historic Moon landings. For more than 60 years, this facility has been used by the aerospace community, including during the Apollo and Space Shuttle missions, and in support of the Blue Angels and commercial spaceflight crews.

“KBR is proud to partner with Axiom Space on this major milestone in preparing for humanity’s return to the Moon,” said Mark Kavanaugh, KBR’s President, Defense, Intel and Space. “This achievement reflects KBR’s position as a leader in human spaceflight innovation and our ability to deliver mission-critical solutions that advance NASA’s Artemis program. Our expertise and collaboration with Axiom Space continue to strengthen KBR’s role in enabling the future of human exploration beyond Earth.”

The uncrewed thermal vacuum test of the AxEMU was the first in a series of tests which will grow in complexity and scope as Axiom Space moves toward the spacesuit qualification phase with NASA. In preparation of the Artemis III mission, Axiom Space continues to conduct extensive testing of the next-gen spacesuit. The team has completed the first dual-suit run at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL), is completing the final integration testing in the NBL, and has achieved over 700 hours of crewed pressurized time in the spacesuit; the AxEMU is currently in the critical design phase.

Axiom Space’s innovative spacesuits will provide astronauts with increased flexibility, greater protection, and longer EVA time to expand exploration on the lunar surface. This next-gen spacesuit will enable the future of human space exploration, advancing knowledge of low-Earth orbit, the Moon, and beyond.